September 2, 2015

US Academics Worried About Modi Visit Need To Do Their Homework

The following article appeared in The Huffington Post
India on September 2, 2015. An excerpt is below, and the full text can be
accessed here.

The tragedy is that many of the letters' authors are in
positions to play much more constructive roles in advancing educational objectives,
information dissemination and open debate in India. Their views should not be
dismissed simply because they are professors in the social sciences or the
humanities. Indeed, questions of history, law, ethics, sociology and political
theory are more relevant than ever to the formulation of sound digital
policies. The academic community should be providing the Indian government more
advice, not less. But if only the statement's signatories had opted for less
posturing and better-informed and more constructive criticism, they may have
advanced their objectives of promoting academic and online freedoms without
resorting to petty, personal and puerile attacks. [Full text.]